Improvement in torpedo-boats



3 Shee'ts'-Sheet 1'.

Torpedo-Boat. I No. 211, 01. Patented Ian. 14, 1879.

ATEN' FFIGE.

JOHN L. LAY, on BUFFALO, NEW roan.

IMPROVEMENT INTTORPEDO-BOATS.

firwifisatisn-22 1 mamamiLetm-sPatent.No. 211,301,. dated January 14,1879; application filed December 19, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN L. LAY, of Buffalo, in the county of Erie andState of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inMovable Torpedoes; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilledin-the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, and to the let ters of referencemarked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to such torpedo-boats as are controlled in theirmovement in the water by means of an electric wire or cable connectingthe boat with theshore 'or other station, and which may be either selfpropelled by means of an engine and operated by compressed air or gas,or towed by such a boat as is shown in other patents granted to me.

The details of my invention will be more fully pointed out and claimedhereinafter.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of one of mytorpedoes or mines for conveying large quantities of dynamite or otherexplosive. Fig. 2 is a side view of a series of thesemines or torpedoestowed by a single self-propelled boat. Fig. 8 is a top or plan view ofsuch a mine or torpedo conveyed by two boats. Fig. 4 is a section of thetorpedo A, Fig. 3, showing the device for detaching the same. Fig. 5 isan enlarged view of one of the detaching devices. Fig.6 is acrosssection of Fig.- 3 on line a; m. Fig. 7 is a view of a sight-rod orpost carrying a light. The remaining figures, 8 to 11, are details or1nodifications of the same.

A, Fig. 1, is the body or hull of the torpedo or mine, which carries acharge of dynamite or similar explosive agent in each of the chambers BC. A coil of cable is carried in the compartmentD, which communicates bymeans of a wire with fuses or detonators E E, which may be ignited by aspark through the cable. A pipe, F, communicates with the sea, and iscovered by a rubber bag, 9, in which is a fuse or cap, which may beexploded by a wire leading to the cable. When this bag is exploded thewater rushes into compartment H through the pipe, and air beingpermitted to escape through pi pc I, which has a suitable valve, to

be opened at the proper time, the compartment H is flooded and thetorpedo sinks; Any oneof these torpedoes, or all of them,

ma be 'irovldod with si ht or uide rods or lights, as shown at a a, Fig.2, and the operation of which will be hereinafter explained.

The rearmost torpedo will generally carry the coil of cable by which allthe boats are guided or operated, an insulated wire extending from thatone to each of the others, by which that one can be manipulated. Theshore or station connections are such as are usual in this class ofdevices.

Fig. 3 shows a mode of conveying a single large mine or torpedo by twoself-propelled boats.

The mine A is slung up under yoke K by means of pins 7c, extendingdownward intc sockets Z in the torpedo.' A piston-rod, m enters a holein this rod is, and retains the torpedo close up against'the yoke K.

The piston-rods have piston-heads in the cylinders n. Pipes lead fromcompressed-air or gas reservoir 0 to the cylinders.

A cock at p. is opened by the eleotro-inagnets q, so as to permit thegas to enter the cylinders, draw back the pistons, and release the pinsk, when the torpedo, being of greater specific gravity than water, willsink to the bottom, where itmay be held by anchors. The boats A A, stillheld together by yokes K, may then be directed back to the station bymeans. of the connecting-cable.

The next part of my invention relates to a hooded light, which I usewith either of the boats A or A. This light is attached to the boats fornight service, in lieu of the sight or guide rods which 1 use in theday-time.

The light, which maybe any form of lantern not easily extinguished, issupported at the end of a tube, L, and'inside of a hood or reflector, M.A shield, N, closes the back or' open side of this hood when it isdesirable to conceal the light entirely. A rod, it, extends from thisshield down through the tubular support L, and has at its lower end apiston in the cylinder 0. This piston is driven up and down in thecylinder as gas from the reservoir is admitted to it through the agencyof slide-valve, operated by the magnets l l.

The operation is as follows: The vessel bein g in motion, with thepoints of the hoods toward the enemy, when the operator desires to seethe light he moves the valve through the medium of the cableand'magnets. The shield may be lifted up above the'hood, as shown inFigs. 8 and 10, or drawn down-below it. As soon as the operator hasascertained the position of the torpedo he closes the lantern by areverse movement of the piston.- The light will not be at any timevisible from the front of the hood; but if the shield or some equivalentdevice be not used it maybe approximately located by the reflection ofthe rays of light from the Water; and to avoid this I have devised thecover or shield for the hood.

The shield may turn on a pivot, as in Fig. 11, instead of moving up anddown.

In this application I have deemed it unneceSsary to show all theelectric wires which may be used, as well as the instruments at theoperators station, such being well known in the art.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim isl. A series ofmovable torpedoes, at least one of which shall be self-propelled, allconnected together by a cable, as described, and. all controlled bywires passing through the cable, as set forth. I I

2. A torpedo having a coil chamber orreel" for the electric cable, awater-ballast chamber which may be flooded by the bursting of a rubherbag, as shown, and one or more chambers for charges of dynamite or otherexplosive, as set forth.

3. The combination of two self-propelled torpedo-boats, a yoke orsupport retaining,. the two in their relative position, as shown, and-atorpedo removably' attached to the yoke, as shown and described.

4. The combination of torpedo-boats A .A', yok s K, pins k, and pistonsm, working in cylinder n, all substantially as described.

5. The combination, with a submarine to1'- pedo-boat, of a hooded lighthaving a movableshield, whereby thelight may be entirely con cealed orrevealed in one direction when the shield is moved, substantiallyasshown.

6. The combination, with a torpedo-boat, of a tubular standard, a hoodedlight, a movablc shield, and a rod extending from the shield to theoperating-cylinder and piston, as set forth.

7. The combination of standardL, hood M,

shield N, rod n, cylinder and piston,"and the slide-valve, operated bymeans of electromagnets through the cable, as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I afiix my signaturein presence of twowitnes'ses. A

' JOHN L. LAY. Witnesses: Y

- GEORGE E. HAIGHT,

H. D.. WmsoR.

